When more than 130 people have been convicted under the Hunting Act and the Quantock Staghounds huntsman faces trial for a Hunting Act offence, can the pro-hunt minority honestly claim that this bill is "unworkable"?

This is one of the most successful pieces of animal welfare legislation and covers all forms of live animal hunting with dogs.

More than 80 per cent of the public support the ban on deer hunting, basically because they no longer consider it "sport" or morally acceptable for an animal to be subjected to such severe ordeals inflicting psychological and mental distress.

Nobody has the right to behave cruelly towards animals, and the arguments for repeal of the Hunting Act do not stand up to reasoned analysis.

We do not consider "tradition" a valid argument for tying up a bear and setting ferocious dogs on it, or forcing roosters with metal spurs fitted to fight each other – why should we waste Parliamentary time debating the demand to revive this equally barbaric country sport?

One can only commend the RSPCA's and IFAW's commitment to the campaign to keep the Hunting Act.

KATHERINE WATSON

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